1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a door safety lock and more specifically it relates to a loading door safety lock for locking a loading dock in a closed position and for retaining the keys of a vehicle to prevent inadvertent drive-offs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Loading dock doors are commonly used in warehouses or other facilities to facilitate the loading and unloading of various items to and/or from a delivery truck. Such loading dock doors generally include a latching mechanism which locks the loading dock door closed. While these mechanisms do latch the door shut, they do not prevent damage or injury due to human error; such as the delivery truck driver inadvertently departing early while loading dock personnel is in the process of loading or unloading.
Currently there are expensive truck restraining devices on the market which are not economically feasible for many individuals and companies. Further, such devices are often not universally operable with all trucks. Additionally, such devices commonly suffer from risks related to human error on the part of the truck driver. Finally, such devices are often complicated to operate and maintain.
Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved loading door safety lock for locking a loading dock in a closed position and for retaining the keys of a vehicle to prevent inadvertent drive-offs.